The Foothills School Division board is beginning the process of coming up with a budget for 2021-22.

Assistant Superintendent Drew Chipman says COVID still plays a big role in budget planning.

"Are federal dollars going to continue next year, we don't know, enrolment decline because of COVID could have significant impacts, the Province hasn't decided what to do with that yet, so we're looking for that," he says. "We've had to institute some reductions, we've been taking money out of reserves, we're not going to be able to continue to do forever because those reserves are dwindling, so all of those things are impacting us."

He says the Province has told them to expect a budget around February 25, so they want to start the process so they're ready when that comes down.

Chipman says insurance is a big issue for them.

"We're paying almost five times as much for insurance this year as we did two years ago, we've had some provincial support last year and this year, hoping that continues but there's no guarantee of that either," he says.

They have to have their budget in to the province by the end of May.

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